How many sticks of conduit do I need?

Add up the run length, add any allowance for offsets and saddles, take off the gain of each 90 if you know it, add your waste allowance, and divide by the length of one stick — then round up. The estimator does exactly that, and counts the couplings and end connectors as it goes.

How many couplings for a conduit run?

One at every joint between sticks: the number of sticks in that run, minus one. A run that takes four sticks has three couplings. The estimator works it per run, so a partial stick at the end does not add a coupling it does not need.

How long is a stick of conduit?

It depends on the pipe and the supplier — check the tag on the bundle. In North America the usual stick is 10' 0" (3.05 m); elsewhere 3 m is common. Type what you actually buy.

Why does the estimator ask for strap spacing?

Because the maximum spacing is set by your code and differs by pipe type and size, so this site does not print one. Type the figure from your code book and the estimator counts the straps along the run. Your code also wants a strap within a set distance of each box and fitting — add those on top.

Should I take the gain off?

On a take-off with a lot of 90s, yes — each bent 90 uses less pipe than its two legs measured to the corner. On a short run with one or two 90s the gain is inside your waste allowance and you can leave it empty.

Conduit run estimator

Run length, end to end

Measured along the route. Feet-inches like 50' or 37' 6", or plain inches.

Stick length

What your supplier sells — check the tag on the bundle.

How many runs like this

90s in each run

Gain per 90

Optional. A bent 90 uses less pipe than two legs to the corner; your bender's gain says how much. See deduct and gain.

Allowance for offsets and saddles

The total shrink in one run — the shrink calculator gives it per offset.

Waste allowance, %

Off-cuts and the odd bad bend. Your shop's own figure.

Strap spacing

Optional. The maximum spacing in the code you work to, for this pipe. Leave empty to skip straps.

6 sticks of pipe

50' 0" of pipe, 55' with 10% waste

4 couplings
2 connectors (one at each end)
straps

Add fittings the drawing shows (boxes, conduit bodies, expansion joints) — this counts pipe, couplings and end connectors only.

Show the working

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Type the length of the run and the length of a stick and you get the sticks to order, the couplings, the connectors and — if you type the spacing from your code book — the straps. Several runs the same? Set the count and it multiplies the lot. Everything is in feet and inches or in metres, whichever the switch says.

What it counts, and what it does not

Pipe: the run, plus your allowance for offsets and saddles (their shrink — the shrink calculator gives it), minus the gain of each 90 if you type it.
Sticks: the pipe with your waste percentage on top, divided by the stick length, rounded up.
Couplings: one per joint, counted per run — a run of 25' 0" (7.62 m) on 10' 0" (3.05 m) sticks is three sticks and two couplings.
Connectors: two per run, one at each end.
Straps: only if you type the spacing. The count is the run divided by the spacing, rounded up, plus one — both ends included.

It does not count what only the drawing knows: boxes, conduit bodies, expansion fittings, bushings, fittings at a change of pipe type. Add those from the drawing.

Measuring the run

Measure along the route the pipe will actually take, not straight line from box to box: up and over the beam, down the wall, along the ceiling. On a drawing, scale each leg and add them. Round each leg up to the next foot (or the next 0.1 m) rather than down — a stick left over costs less than a trip to the supplier.

Count the bends as you go and run the same route through the degrees of bend calculator: a take-off is the right time to find out a run needs a pull box.

Worked examples

One run, panel to a disconnect

62' 0" (18.9 m) along the route, two 90s, 10' 0" (3.05 m) sticks, 10% waste. Pipe 62' 0" (18.9 m), with waste 68' 2 3/8" (20.79 m) — divide by ten feet and round up: 7 sticks. The run itself takes 7 sticks end to end (62 ÷ 10 = 6.2, so seven), 6 couplings, 2 connectors.

Six runs to a row of lights, metric

Six identical runs of 551 3/16" (14.0 m), 3 m sticks, 10% waste, no 90s worth counting. Pipe 6 × 14 m = 84 m, with waste 92.4 m, so 31 sticks. Each run is 5 sticks (14 ÷ 3 = 4.67), so 4 couplings per run, 24 in all, and 12 connectors. With straps at a spacing of 1.5 m typed from the code book: 14 ÷ 1.5 = 9.33 → 10, plus one, so 11 per run and 66 straps, before the ones near each box.

Questions

How many sticks of conduit do I need?: Add up the run length, add any allowance for offsets and saddles, take off the gain of each 90 if you know it, add your waste allowance, and divide by the length of one stick — then round up. The estimator does exactly that, and counts the couplings and end connectors as it goes.
How many couplings for a conduit run?: One at every joint between sticks: the number of sticks in that run, minus one. A run that takes four sticks has three couplings. The estimator works it per run, so a partial stick at the end does not add a coupling it does not need.
How long is a stick of conduit?: It depends on the pipe and the supplier — check the tag on the bundle. In North America the usual stick is 10' 0" (3.05 m); elsewhere 3 m is common. Type what you actually buy.
Why does the estimator ask for strap spacing?: Because the maximum spacing is set by your code and differs by pipe type and size, so this site does not print one. Type the figure from your code book and the estimator counts the straps along the run. Your code also wants a strap within a set distance of each box and fitting — add those on top.
Should I take the gain off?: On a take-off with a lot of 90s, yes — each bent 90 uses less pipe than its two legs measured to the corner. On a short run with one or two 90s the gain is inside your waste allowance and you can leave it empty.